In the UK, dyslexia is formally identified through a Diagnostic Assessment by a qualified assessor such as a Specialist Teacher (Level 7) or an Educational Psychologist.
This process involves questionnaires, cognitive tests (measuring verbal and non-verbal reasoning, memory, processing speed and phonological skills) and attainment tests of reading, writing and spelling. The resulting report will detail an individual’s strengths and challenges.
Assessment of Dyslexia in Dudley
In Dudley a Response to Intervention model (RTI) is used for the diagnosis of dyslexia over time. This is a joint process between Level 7 Specialist Teachers from Dudley’s Learning Support Service and qualified Educational Psychologists from Dudley Educational Child Psychology Service. Until recently this was based on the Rose (2009) definition of dyslexia. From September 2025 the new Delphi definition will be used (based on The Delphi Study: Implications of A New Definition of Dyslexia 2024):
“Dyslexia is a set of processing difficulties that affect the acquisition of reading and spelling. The most commonly observed cognitive impairment in dyslexia is a difficulty in phonological processing (i.e. in phonological awareness, phonological processing speed or phonological memory). However, phonological difficulties do not fully explain the variability that is observed. Working memory, processing speed and orthographic skills can contribute to the impact of dyslexia.”
Last updated: 03/11/2025